Tucking mechanism



Sept. 4, 1934. A. E. HUDSON TUCKING MECHANISM Filed March 11, 1933 fi/A/VENTJE. 9 4 ztm MJw Patented Sept, 4-, 1934 UNITED STATES V TUCKING MECHANISM Albert E. Hudson, Lynn, Mass, assignor to Hoague-Sprague Corporation, Lynn, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 11, 1933, Serial No. 660,346

15 Claims.

My invention relates to mechanisms for turn ing or tucking material into a space which is to receive it. This mechanism is especially adapted for thus disposing of cover-paper, or like material, in slots formed in the shell-material of box-blanks.

In an application for Letters Patent-filed in the United States Patent Ofiice in the name of Cutler D. Knowlton on September 8, 1930 and bearing the Serial No. 480,518, is disclosed an apparatus for the production of box-blanks including slotted shell-material and attached covermaterial. In this apparatus is a mechanism having a revoluble segment by which the cover-material is forced through slots from the outer face of the shell, to which it is adhesively secured, in preparation for its attachment to the opposite face and to the'edges of the slots. An object of this invention is to so organize a mechanism of this character that full and efifective contact of the tucking means with the paper will be gained throughout the periphery of the slots, and without dangerof mutilationof the shell-material if the tucking means is not in exact registration with the slots.

For the attainment-of this object I have provided a support or abutment for the blanks or other work, together with a co-operating, revoluble tucking member, preferably in the form of a segment having yieldable portions mounted upon its extremities for contact with the work. The yield, or other movement, of each contact portion best occurs independently of the other and under the influence of its engagement with one end of the blank-slot, the associated movable portion engaging theopposite end of the slot. The contact-surfaces of the movable portions of the tucking member are shown as curved oppositely, and with the space between them greater than the length of the slot operated upon. Each portion may also be curved transversely. The effect of such an arrangement is to produce full tucking engagement with both ends of the slot, pressing the cover-material closely against the shell-material. At the same time, if displacement of the blank occurs with reference to the tucking member, the yieldability of the contact-portions prevents breaking down the blank-material at one end of the slot by this abnormal engagement. For the purpose of illustration, I have herein-disclosed a blank-support or abutment so furnished by side walls as to provide a channel to receive a tucking segment adjustably mounted with a" carrier-disk, there being a contact-finger pivoted at each extremity of the segment and'drawn into its normal position by a spring connecting it to the segment.

In the accompanyingdrawing is illustrated a particular embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a perspectiveview of my improved tucking mechanism;

Fig. 2, a detail in side elevation showing the leading tucking finger coming into engagement with the forward end of a slot in a box-blank;

f Fig. 3, a central vertical longitudinal section, with the following finger completing the tucking operation; V

Fig. 4, a perspective view of one corner of a blank after the tucking operation has been performed; and

Fig. 5, a similar view of the same blank after the attachment of the cover-paper has been effected.

At 10 appears one of the cross-bars of a frame carrying opposite edge-guides 12, 12 for boxblanks- B, which, at this stage of their production, may'still be joined to one another as parts of a continuous web W' (Fig. 3). Extending longitudinally of the frame, parallel to the guides, are pairs of bars 14, 14 of tucking mechanism T, each pair being spaced at 16 to furnish an intermediate channel. The distance between the two channels is equal to that which separates the slots of a box-blank dividing each pair of corner-laps from the adjacent end-wing, a fragment of such a blank appearing in Figs. 4 and 5. It may consist of a layer of shell-material S, of pasteboard or the like, and an upper layer of adhesively joined cover-paper s. This blank has a bodyportion a, opposite end-wings b and side-wings c, from each of which project pairs of corner-laps (2. But one of each of these wings and cornerlaps appears in the drawing. Between ,each corner-lap andits end-wingis a slot e common to two of the joined blanks in the web W. The web of thus-connected blanks is advanced to the mechanism T by feed-rolls (not illustrated) and at apreceding mechanism the cover-paper along each-slot has been slit adjacent to the corresponding corner-lap d, leaving a free edge 9 which is to be turned over and secured to the edge of the adjacentend-wing b to conceal the rawshellmaterial.

The tucking mechanism T has a shaft 20 extending transversely above the guides 12 and bars 14, being journaled in bearings 22attached to the frame, fragments of which appear at 24; The shaft is rotated constantly. during the op:- eration of the mechanism, and at the desired speed, in a direction indicated by the arrow in rounded outwardly somewhat more than such a Fig. 3, by gearing not shown. The attachment of the bearings to the frame may be by slot-andscrew connections 26 for a purpose which will later appear. Carried by the shaft 20 are tucking means if, i, one cooperating with each channel 16. Except that the two tucking means face in opposite directions, they may be identical, and but one will be described in detail. Keyed to the shaft is a carrier-disk 28 for each tucking means t, this disk having a hub 30 at its inner side. At the outer face of the disk is fixed, by slot-andscrew connections 32 for circular adjustment, the body-portion 34 of a tucking segment 36, The length of the arcuate surface 38 of this segment is substantially less than that of the slot cm the; joined blanks, and its thickness is' such as to allow" it to enter the channel 16 and the slot e with slight clearance. Its radial extent preferably causes it to engage the full depth of the edge g of cover-paper, when this has been turned down. Each extremity of the segment is recessed at 40 to receive the contact-end 42 of a tucking finger pivoted at 46 upon the body 34 where it extends beyond the segment, the leading or forward finger being identified as F and the following or rear finger as j. The inner end of each finger is drawn normally against a hub 48 on the body 34. by a spring 50 lying in a groove in the hub and connected at its inner extremity to a projection 52 from'thehub, this projection being common to the springs of both fingers. At 5 1 the contactend of each finger continues the surface 38 of the segment with but little radial projection beyond it and then turns inward y at 56, here similar in form to an involute, though being shown as curve. The end 42 of each finger is also preferably curved transversely at 58 where it may contact with the side-edges of the slot e.

In the operation of this tucking mechanism, the

web W of connecting blanks B is progressively advanced by the feeding mechanism, and the shaft 20 is. so rotated that the peripheral speed 7 of the segments 36 is substantially the same as the 'rate of travel of the blanks, the segments successively registering with the slots 6. This relation may be adjusted initially bythe connections 32. By the bearing connections 26, the shaft 20 is so located vertically that the segments I will pass into the blank-slots and into the channel 16 sufiiciently to insure the forcing down to vertical position of the entire cover-paper edges 9. While this registration between the slots and segmentsv is maintained, the contact-portion 42 V of each leading finger F will, in its descent, en-

gage the slit cover-paper at the forward end of the slot e at a point upon the finger near the beginning of the surface 56, asappears in Fig. 20f the drawings, and may yield againstthetension of'its spring 50. Then, as the finger descends through the slot during its forward travel, this surface 56 will pass over the slot-end, somewhat in the manner of the engaging surface of a geartooth, and will press firmly against the end-wall of the slot the portion of the cover-paper indicated' at h in Fig. 4 where the slit in the paper does not reach quite to the end of the slot. The rounded-out portion of the surface 56 also tends to wipe the cover=paper-edge somewhat under the shell-material, The edge g of the cover-paper is thus turned to somewhat beyond a vertical. position. Finally, the rear end of the slot and the inner portion of the surface 56 of the following finger f come into contact, as is shownin Fig. 3. Because the length of the slotis less thantthe maximum distance between the contact surfaces of the fingers F and f, the latter yields under the engagement of the end of the slot and, as it is separated therefrom, forces the cover-paper at h under the shell-material in an inclined position, acting similarly to the finger F, though in the opposite direction. If the slots in the web get somewhat out of registration with the segments 36, the material at the ends of the slots will not be broken by the pressure of said segments, because of the capacity of the contact-fingers to yield against the springs 50. If there is a lack of transverse registration-between the web and segments, the curvature at 58 of the fingers F will, as they gradually enter the slots, force the blanks into the proper relation without distortion of the shellmaterial. This transverse curvature also allows the segments to be of maximum width and thus insure firm contact of the turned-in edges 9 with the edges of the slots. After the tucked blank has passed the mechanism T, it is further acted upon by means which turns the adhesive-coated edges g and h under the shell-material and presses them against it, bringing the blank to the condition illustrated in Fig. 5.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a tucking mechanism, a work-abutment, and a revoluble tucking member co-operating therewith and having yieldable portions mounted upon its extremitiesfor contactwith the work.

2. In a tucking mechanism, an-abutment for supporting a slottedblank, and a revoluble tucking member having portions movable independently of each other and arranged for co-cperation with opposite ends of the blank-slot.

,3. In altucking mechanism, an abutment-for supporting a slotted blank, and a revoluble tucking member having portions yieldable under the influenceof their respective contact with the opposite ends of the blank-slot.

4. In a tucking mechanism, an abutment for supporting a slotted blank, and'a revoluble tucking member having portions movable independently of each other and arranged for contact with opposite ends of the blank-slot, the space between the c'ontact-surfaces of the portions being greater than the length of the slot.

5. In a tucking mechanism, a work-abutment, and a revoluble tucking member co-operating therewith and having yieldable portions mounted upon its extremities and provided with opposite- 1y located curved surfaces for contact with the work. 7

6. In a tucking mechanism, a-work-abutment, and a revoluble tucking member co-operating therewith and havingyieldable portions mounted upon its extremities and provided with surfaces ciu'ved transversely for contact with the work.

7. In a tuckingmechanism, an abutment for supporting a slotted blank, and a revoluble tucking member having portions provided with curved surfaces arranged for respective contact withopposite ends of the blank-slot, the portions being yieldable upon the tucking member under the influence of said contact.

8. In a tucking mechanism, an" abutment for supporting a slotted blank, and arevoluble: tucking member. having portions provided with surfaces curved both in the directionof revolution and transversely thereto and arranged for respective contact with opposite ends of the blankslot, said portions being yieldable upon the trick. i member un h nflu n ed.s d-contact. 15c

9. In a tucking mechanism, a support over which is advanced a slotted blank including covermaterial, a revoluble tucking segment arranged to enter the blank-slot, and a contact-finger movable at each extremity of the segment.

10. In a tucking mechanism, a support over which is advanced a slotted blank including covermaterial, a revoluble tucking segment arranged to enter the blank-slot, and a yieldable contactfinger pivoted at each extremity of the segment.

11. In a tucking mechanism, spaced walls furnishing a channel over which is advanced a slotted blank including cover-material overlying the slot, a rotatable carrier having a segmental portion arranged to enter the channel, a contactfinger pivoted upon each extremity of the segment and movable thereby into the channel, and. means for yieldably drawing the contact-surfaces of the fingers away from each other.

12. In a tucking mechanism, spaced walls furnishing a channel over which is advanced a slotted blank including cover-material overlying the slot, a rotatable carrier having a segmental portion arranged to enter the channel, and a yieldable finger pivoted at each extremity of the segment and movable thereby into the channel, each finger being provided with a curved surface continuing the arcuate surface of the segment.

13. In a tucking mechanism, spaced walls furnishing a channel over which is advanced a slotted blank including cover-material overlying the slot, a rotatable carrier having a segmental portion arranged to enter the channel, and a yieldable finger pivoted at each extremity of the segment and movable thereby into the channel, .each finger being curved transversely at its contact end and provided with a curved surface continuing the arcuate surface of the segment.

14. In a tucking mechanism, spaced walls furnishing a channel over which is advanced a slotted blank including cover-material overlying the slot, a rotatable carrier-disk, a segment mounted upon the disk and arranged to enter the channel, a contact-finger pivoted upon each extremity of the segment, and springs connecting the fingers and the segment.

15. In a tucking mechanism, spaced walls furnishing a channel over which is advanced a slotted blank including cover-material overlying the slot, a rotatable carrier-disk, a segment mounted upon the disk and arranged to enter the channel, a contact-finger pivoted upon each extremity of the segment, springs connecting the fingers and the segment, and means arranged to permit the segment and its fingers to be varied in position circumferentially of the disk.

ALBERT E. HUDSON. 

